


Apples and Trees

by ismellitblue



Category: Black Lightning (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Disabled Character, Disability, Disabled Character, Disabled Character of Color, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Infedility, Other, Physical Disability
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 15:25:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18813664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ismellitblue/pseuds/ismellitblue
Summary: Sixteen years ago,Reverend Holt and Nichelle Payne made  a mistake.He tried to bury  it,but looking  at  Khalil  and seeing  the family resemblance made it harder and  harder,until he  couldn't deny it anymore.





	Apples and Trees

**Author's Note:**

> I only own the idea.

“This was a mistake,”That was the first thing she said to him in the light of morning,and Jeremiah nodded in agreement.

They got dressed quietly,looking anywhere but at each other.

When he saw her a few months later, he was no longer just Jeremiah,he was Reverend Holt, and she was _glowing_ ,her hands cradling her swollen stomach.

‘ _Is it mine?_ ’His eyes asked,and she held his gaze and shook her head,gesturing to the man beside her.Her husband didn’t notice the exchange,too preoccupied with their fussy firstborn.

***

She’d said it wasn’t his and that should have been it…but the first time Reverend Holt held the boy-Khalil-he knew, _he just knew_.But she’d said it couldn’t be true,and he chose to believe that and cast aside his what his heart felt.

***

For the first few years,it was easy,he only saw the boy on Sundays,so he didn’t have to dwell on how he was familiar on a primal level.It was easier  for Jeremiah to pretend not to see his grandfather’s eyes or his own mother’s eyes in the boy.

But then came the march,and the shooting.

When the boy started walking again,spinal implant in place Reverend Holt could no longer deny it.

Khalil was _his_.

He’d seen that walk before,the predatory glide,eyes calculating and head drawn back like a snake about to strike.The venom was the final nail in the coffin.His mother had been the same,venom at her fingertips and a cocky grin on her face(the same grin the boy now regularly spotted).

***

Freeland was supposed to have been a fresh start(away from all those who knew about his ability),he’d been there so long he’d begun to believe it.But seeing the boy and the devastation his power brought he admitted that he’d been fooling himself.

He took a deep breath and for the first time in decades he called his venom out.It came slowly at first,sluggish from been dormant too long,but soon, it was moving through his veins with the lightning swiftness he was used to.

His boy had come into the family inheritance,and Jeremiah would not let him wilt under the decay of people like Tobias Whale.

***

The next time he saw the boy,there was no way to broach the subject(he was too busy struggling to breath and keeping his power from lashing out).Khalil was still too angry and bitter… _hurting_ ,but he was starting to come back to his senses.

One did not take their eyes off a snake ,so Reverend Holt held the boy’s gaze, _not begging,not imploring,simply staring,_ and in the end Khalil let go of his neck.

Reverend Holt let him run off, but had he known what was to come.He’d have struck the boy down himself and carried him to safety.As it was,the next time he saw him,all he could do was pray and offer comfort.Trying his best not to look at the mess of bones and blood on the teen’s back.

***

His rage nearly consumed him,and it was only when the entire choir began coughing that he got himself under control.Gently pulling his toxins from their lungs before anyone noticed.After riding with Khalil in the ambulance, he’d wanted nothing more than to go straight to Tobias and sink his fangs into him.But common sense and caution had killed that idea.One didn’t go after men like Tobias on a whim, there had to be a plan,and Reverend Holt had the beginnings of one.He just needed a little time to flesh it out…something it turned out,he didn’t have.

At first,Reverend Holt didn’t know what the too sweet taste in his mouth was,but the instant his eyes landed on the lipstick staining his handkerchief, _he knew_.As he collapsed he noted absently that his venom had been trying to warn him the entire time,but he’d just been too preoccupied,to notice.

***

Whatever was in that handkerchief was potent,but Reverend Holt’s venom was its own brand of deadly, and though it took a lot out of him(not to mention all his hair),he came out on top.

He made his way to Khalil’s room on shaky legs.It was a simple matter to draw out some of the unconscious teen’s pain(he’d done the same on the night they found him),and when he began to wake up,the Reverend soothed him,talking to him in a calm voice.

“It’s alright,I’m here”Khalil cleared his throat,preparing to talk but Holt put a stop to that.

“Shh,Listen to me, I haven’t done right by you and I’m sorry for that” Uncomprehending brown eyes stared down at him,and despite the ache in his knees from kneeling Reverend Holt found the strength to smile up at the confused young man.

“It’s a long story,I’ll tell you later,but you have to trust me”All he got in response was a tear landing on his hand,and he took that as a yes.

Just getting up and dragging a plastic chair over to Khalil’s bed took more effort than it should have,but Reverend Holt pushed his own aches to the back of his mind,he had more important things to do.

***

“I want you to close your eyes and breathe”He reached out and placed a hand on the back of Khalil’s head,just as he’d done in front of the church.Taking a deep breath of his own(one that rattled and burned all the way down),Reverend Holt linked his weakened power with the boy’s.

Unlike his own slow moving power,Khalil’s toxins were on a rampage,attacking everything,Khalil included-a snake biting its own tail.He didn’t try to take charge,he simply focused on the wounded back,building a path there and letting his power heal as much damage as it could without endangering either of them.

Soon enough, he felt Khalil’s venom retreat from the other parts of his body,moving along the path he’d created and focusing on his spine.The teen’s breathing became less labored,and even the heart monitor’s beeps were no longer worrying.When he felt that the boy’s venom had a handle on the situation, he withdrew,wiping his sweaty brow with difficulty.

Making sure not to wake Khalil,the Reverend shuffled out of the room,leaving before anyone else noticed he’d been there.

When the  boy was recovered(as much  as he  could-there was nothing  he could do  for  the  original spinal cord injury),he’d have  questions,and Reverend Holt owed him an explanation.

There was also  still the  matter of Tobias.Neither  he  nor Khalil were in  fighting  shape,and the  moment  Whale  realized Khalil wasn’t going to die-he’d try to  come  at  him again.He hadn’t spoken to  many of  his old  acquaintances(not to  mention  his  family) in  decades,mostly out of pride.But now  it was  no longer  just about him, he had  a  child to protect,and  if that  meant swallowing his pride then  so  be it.

He’d been born in a viper’s nest and  to  protect his  son,he’d  gladly return to it-picking  up  the  phone  and  making the call  had  never been easier.

**Author's Note:**

> Most of Khalil's key moments(getting shot,disobeying Tobias,getting his spine ripped out),often have Reverend Holt mixed in,no way is this a coincidence,also the Reverend survived being poisoned by Cutter-I think he's a meta-and Khalil's Dad.


End file.
